Inflatable Robot Arm

In general, robot arms are usually bulky and heavy, which sometimes makes them impractical in usage. However, this new robotic arm made by iRobot will change it all.

This new robotic arm, called AIRarm, is fully inflatable, and only weighs about half of a pound. However, it is able to carry five whole pounds, and has articulating appendages at the end of the arm to grasp things. Also, because of its lack of material, the AIRarm is relatively cheap compared to other robotic arms. The AIRarm can be controlled by adjusting the air pressure and changing the rigidity, and can be moved by using a series of actuators and strings that manipulate the robot.

The AIRarm was built with a grant from DARPA as a lightweight alternative to robotic arms that currently exist for military purposes, for example, defusing bombs. After all, the AIRarm is lighter, simpler, and cheaper than other robotic arms that are out there.